Price tag marking machine



- Feb. 3, 1942. F. KOHNLE 2,271,840

PRICE'TAG M K INVENT OR.

za/Mrrozwws Feb. 3, 1942. F. KOHNLE 2,271,840

PRICE 'TAG MARKING MACHINE I Filed June 5, 1939 v SSheets-Sheet 2ATTORNEYS 1 am; TAG MARKING mourns Filed June 5, 1939 s Sheets-Sheet 3INVENTOR' BY nomvws Patented Feb. 3, 1942 PRICE TAG MARKING MACHINEFrederick Kohnle, Dayton, Ohio, assignor to The Monarch Marking SystemCompany, Dayton, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application June 5, 1939,Serial No. 277,363

9 Claims.

This invention relates to machines for marking price tags or tickets.More particularly, it relates to machines of the type designed forreceiving and feeding rolls or strips of tickets and for presenting thetickets successively beneath a printing head.

There are a great many types of price marking tags or tickets on themarket. Among these, for example, are those known as pin tickets, stringtags, sew-on tags, foldover tickets, gum labels,

button tags, and slip-fold tickets. It has been the broad object of thepresent inventor to pro- .the department store. This accomplishmentrequires a complete reorganization of the operating parts in order thatthe movements may be fitted closely together'within the narrow spaceprovided in a slender casing having no lateral projections of anyextent.This has been done in the present invention without loss of efficiencyin the operation of the machine and without crowding the operation ofprice marking.

A machineof this character involves a guidewayfor the tickets,-a feedingunit, a printing head and an inking pad. These parts must be operated in.synchronism whereby the feeding unit feeds the strip a distance equalto the width of theticket and delivers the tickets successively beneaththe printing head. After each printing operation, the type should bere-inked. For this 'reason, the inking pad must be presented to thetype. Thereupon the printing head descends and the printing operationtakes place. These operations center at the region of the platen, uponwhich the tags are successively disposed for printing. 7 4 vAccordingly, it has been, in the more detailed sense, the object of thepresent inventor to provide a mechanism in which the movements for theserespective elements are compactly related. At the same time, it has beennecessary to keep in mind the adaptability of the machine to all typesof tags whether of strip or roll form. Accordingly, a machine has beenprovided which makes provision for the housing or mounting of rolls oftickets in the machine without material- These machines, how.- 1

ly increasing the size of the machine. The result has been a machine ofunusually slender proportions and unusual compactness.

Also it has been provided that the movement for the inking of the typeis exceedingly rapidly accomplished when the feeding unit, which bearsthe inking pad, is at the forward end of its stroke.

Other objects and. certain advantages will be more fully apparent from adescription of the drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the price marking machine of thisinvention looking toward the operating side. I

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the table portion of the machineshowing a strip of tickets of slip-fold type being fed through theguideway.

Figure 3 is a perspective View of the casing portion of the machine withthe side plate removed showing a roll of gummed labels in position forfeed through the machine.

Figure 4 is. a fragmentary side view of the machine'with the crank wheelremoved for illustrating the operating means for the printing head andthe feed unit.

Figure 5' is a sectional view taken on line 5-5, Figure 4, illustratingthe operating mechanisms for the printing head and the inking pad.

Figure 6 is a sectional view taken on line 6-45, Figure 5, illustratingthe details of the inking pad operating mechanism.

As shown in the drawings, the machine is mounted on a base 15. This baseconstitutes a cabinet in which a filing drawer I6 is mounted. Thisdrawer provides compartments (not shown) in which a supply of typeelements is contained.

The frame or body I! of the machine is in the form of a vertical plate,including a base flange l8, fixed to the cabinet by means of bolts Hi.This element l1 constitutes one wall of a container 20 for a roll oftickets indicated at 2|. The enclosure is completed by means of a sidecover plate 22 constituting the other side wall and completing the endwalls, of the chamber. An end flange 23 of the cover plate overlies theend flange 24 of the frame plate. A screw 25 is engaged through theseflanges for holding the cover plate in position.

The frame includes a horizontally disposed top flange, providing a tableor guideway 21, across which the tickets are fed to the printing head.

This table provides an inner longitudinal wall '28 for guiding onelongitudinal edge of the ticket strip.

. The machine is designed for price marking different types of tags. Forexample, as shown in table portion by means of screws 39.

Figure 3, the gum type of label, wound in rolls 2|, may be price markedby the machine. The roll of tickets is mounted within the chamber on ahub or sleeve 30 projecting from the frame. The forward wall of thechamber includes a clearance opening 3! and the length of tickets is fedfrom the roll through this opening. A flanged roller 32 is journalled ona bracket 33 fixed to the forward end of the delivery table. The top ofthe periphery of the roller is substantially in the same plane as thetop of the table. The roller also serves as a guide fordelivering thelength of tickets to the table since the distance between its flanges issubstantially equal to the width of the tickets. A drag element 34 ispivotally mounted in the frame wall. This element, made from a length ofwire, is bent to extend downwardly from the pivotal point and includes ahorizontally disposed portion 35 resting upon the strip as it leaves thereel and moves through the exit opening.

Straight strips 36 or lengths of tickets of the slip-fold type may alsobe fed through the machine, as shown in Figure 2. The wire clips 31 ofthe tickets extend from the side edges of the strip. A side rail 38 isfixed to the side of the This rail engages and supports the clips as thestrip moves along the table. The top edge of the rail is notched as at4!]. The notches are spaced apart the length of the respective tickets.Each notch provides a flat supporting portion in the same plane with thetable. Accordingly, the strip may rest, without interference, upon thefiat table surface for printing, particularly at the platen beneath theprinting head. At the same time, the guiding function of the rail is notimpaired since a portion projects above the table surface.

That portion of the table, over which the ticket feeding mechanismoperates, is provided with a wear plate 4| countersunk in the table topso as to dispose its top surface in the same plane with the delivery endportion of the table. This wear plate terminates or is cut out toprovide a space, within which the platen 42, formed of rubber in thisinstance, is disposed. The removable wear plate is provided for thereason that the table wears, over a period of time, due to the drag ofthe feeding fingers across its surface.

A pressure plate 45 is mounted above and along the table loosely upon apair of pins 46. A side flange portion 41 of the plate engages thesepins. The plate is held down by a coil spring 48 under compression,around one of the pins, between the flange portion of the guide plateand a flange 49 of a guide plate 50. The end of the plate 45 adjacentthe roller 32 is turned upwardly to provide a flared entrance for thestrip of tickets as it comes from the roller. Also, the outer side edgeof the plate is turned upwardly to provide a side flange This fiangeextends ahead of the plate in contact with the guideway and therebyprovides an outside guiding edge for the gummed strip. When the wider orslip fold strip is being fed, the flange 5| rides on top of the strip.

The feeding and inking unit is mounted for reciprocation above thepressure plate and along the table on a stud 52 projecting from theupper end of an actuating lever 53. The actuating lever is of bell crankform. It is mounted on the pivot pin 54, projecting from the outer faceof the frame. A cotter pin and washer hold the lever on the pin. Thelower end of one arm of the bell crank carries a roller 55, which isengaged by a cam 56 fixed to the drive shaft 51, journalled in the reelsupporting hub 30 previously mentioned.

A crank wheel 58 is fixed to the forward end of the shaft and includes acrank arm providing a loosely rotating manipulating knob 59. The wheelhouses and conceals the actuating parts for the various movements of themachine. The collar 6|] is fixed on the inner end of the shaft. Thus theshaft assembly is maintained.

A coil spring 6|, under tension between a pin 62 on the actuating arm ofthe levers 53 and a fixed pin 63 on the frame, holds the roller againstthe cam and thus returns the feeding unit. The lever 53 lies against theouter face of the frame. Its upper end is maintained against the face bymeans of the retaining or guide plate fixed to the outer face of theframe. This plate is pressed to provide a guideway within which the armmay swing.

One end of the feeding unit is provided with side lugs, 64, which aretraversed by the supporting stud 52 of the lever. The unit extendsforwardly over the pressure plate. It is normally held downwardly bymeans of a coil spring 65 wound around the stud, having one end fixedthereto and the other end hooked overa lug 64 of the unit for exerting arotating tension. This forwardly projecting unit carries an inking pad66 on its forward end.

The feed fingers 61 and 68 have their rear ends pivotally mounted on thesupport stud and are spaced apart by means of a sleeve 69 interposedtherebetween on the stud. They include downwardly pointed sharp forwardends sliding in contact with the surface of the wear plate of the tablethrough clearance slots '10 in the pressure plate 45. A spring mountingand guide block H is fixed to the underside of the body 12 of thefeeding unit. This block includes slots 13 in its underside, in whichthe fingers are disposed. Coil springs 14, under compression areprovided between the fingers 61, 68 and a plate 15 fixed to the top ofthe unit through bores in the block and body of the unit.

After the unit has moved to its forward position, its forward end islifted by means of a mechanism, hereinafter described, which iseffective for inking the type and for lifting the feeding fingers clearof the ticket strip. This lifting action brings about a lifting actionon the fingers. For this purpose, the fingers include forward extensions16 lying upon the top of the main element of the feeding unit.Appropriate clearance is afforded between the extensions 16 and thefingers 61, 68 so that the fingers are free to move or drop into feedingengagement with the strip under the influence of the springs. However,as the feeding unit is swung upwardly,

it engages these extensions and raises the fingers to clear the notchesin the tag strips. When the unit returns to its rear limit of travel,the fingers are raised by engagement with the pressure plate, as theyleave the ends of the clearance slots.

Each strip is provided with notches or slots 11 defining the tagportions and providing the means for engagement by the feeding fingers.In the instance of the slip-fold type, the notches are along one sideedge, whereas, in the strip of gummed labels, cross slots 18 areprovided centrally of the width of the strip on the lines of separationof the tickets. Thus when the slip-fold type of ticket is being fed, theouter finger 61 engages the notches 11, whereas, when -of any sort withthe pad or the deposit of dirt thereon. The machine may be carried bymeans the strip of gummed labels is being fed, the inner finger 68engages the'central notches I8.

A printing head 88 is vertically slidably mounted on the frame. ticallygrooved. A slide 8| carrying the head 88 is mounted for reciprocation'in the guideway and is held in place by means of a plate 82 fixed in acountersunk portion of the frame by means of screws 83. The back of theprinting head is vertically notched to receive the bifurcated upper endof the slide plate. Screws 84 fix the head to the bifurcations of theplate. Thus the 'plate end straddles a lug portion of the head.

The face of the frame is Ver- This lug portion is crossnotched toprovide a spring chamber 85.

The shaft 51 carries a crank disc 88. This disc is disposed in the boreof a crank arm 81 lying against the outer-face of the frame. The upperend of' the crank arm includes an inwardly turned portion 88 disposed atthe upper end of the recess in the back of the head. A heavy coil spring89 is disposed under compression between the base of the spring socketand this inwardly turned portion of the crank arm.

Thus, a flexible connection is provided between the actuating means andthe head. The crank arm may swing back and forth as it is actuated bythe eccentric but the printing head moves in a directly verticalline.Moreover, the type elements 98, mounted in the printing head, yieldablyengage the ticket in the printing operation so'that the printing isuniform and the type does not cut into the tag.

A type chase 9I of previously disclosed form,

is slid into the printing head and is supported I on ways 92 formedtherein. The type chase provides type supporting sockets 93, which havevertical grooves 94 in their side walls, terminating short of the bottomof the chase. The type elements include fins 9'5, engaged in thesegrooves and are thereby suspended in the sockets. As the type elementsengage the ticket, they move upwardly into engagement with the adjacentsurface 88 of the printing head for positive abutment in the printingoperation.

The inking of the type is performed by means of a cam 91 fixed alongsideof the crank disc between the crank disc and the frame. Spacer discs 98are interposed along the shaft between the crank disc and the cam, justmentioned for taking up the space resulting because of the thickness ofthe slide 8| of the printing head and its retainer plate 82. A pin 99holds these parts, that is, the crank disc, the cam and the spacers, forunitary rotation.

The cam 91 actuates a vertically mounted slide I88, the upper end ofwhich engages a downwardly extended spring clip I8I n the base wall ofthe feeding unit. This cam has an abrupt shoulder to permit quicklowering motion of the pad. Thu-s, when the feeding unit is at forwardposition, this mechanism will urge it upwardly, moving the inking padagainst the type.

As accessories to the machine, a cover I82 overhangs the forward part ofthe guide. The strip of tickets is delivered between this cover and theguideway. A counting device I83 may be mounted at the forward end of theguideway and actuated by the movement of the printing head. The leverI84 of the counting device is disposed between a pair of actuating pinsI85 carried by a bracket I86, fixed to the printing head. A cover plateI8! is fixed to the side of the frame and overhangs the inking pad whenit is in return position, thus preventing contact of "a handle l88consisting of a-vertically disposed element attached to the forward faceof the frame by means of arms I89.

Operation the guide the width of the ticket. As it comes to rest, theinking pad is raised against the type. This same motion disengages thefingers by a slight lifting action. The feeding unit then drops down asthe slide retreats or moves back under .the influence of the spring. Assoon as the feed unit is clear of the printing head,'the printing headmoves down and effects the printing of the ticket resting on the platen.This cycle of operation may be continuous each time a ticket isdelivered forwardly and another ticket brought up for printing.

The subject matter of thisv application concerned with the structure ofthe strip feed mechanism per se, is disclosed and claimed in thecopending application of Frederick Kohnle, filed January 16, 1940,Serial No. 314,116, and entitled Price tag marking machine.

Having described my invention; I claim:

, 11. In a price marking machine, a frame, a

printing head slidably mounted in said frame, a guideway, feeding meansfor successively feeding tickets to position beneath saidprintinghead,an inking pad pivotally mounted on said feeding means for liftingmovement against the face of the type supported in said printing head, aslide resiliently engaging the-inking pad, and a cam for actuating saidslide, said cam providing an abruptshoulder to permit rapid release ofsaid inking pad from said type, prior to'return movement of said feedingmeans.

2. In a price marking machine of the type including a frame including aguideway through which a strip of tickets is adapted to be fed, andmeans for intermittently feeding said strip of tickets, said guidewayincluding a platen upon which the tickets are successively disposed; aslide carrying a printing head and slidably mounted in the frame, a linkdisposed in the frame alongside of and flush with the slide of the headand having a flexible connection with the head, and means fOr actuatingsaid link longitudinally of the slide for actuating the slide.

3. In a price marking machine, a frame including a guideway for a stripof tickets to be successively price marked, a feeding slide traversingsaid guideway, an inking pad mounted on the slide, a printing headincluding a slide element, an actuating linkhaving a flexible connectionto the head, a slide for movingthe inkmg pad upwardly into engagementwith the type of the printing head, said frame including a secondguideway at right angles to the first, said printing head slide, saidactuating link, and said inking pad actuating slide lying in laminatedrelationship in the guideway, and means for actuating said head slideand inking pad slide in the proper sequence.

4. A price marking machine for receiving and slide and printing headrespectively.

5. In a price marking machine, a frame including a guideway for a stripof tickets to be successively price marked, a feeding slide traversingsaid guideway, an inking pad mounted on the slide, a printing headincluding a slide element,

an actuating link having a fiexible connection to the head, a slide formoving the inking pad upwardly into engagement with the type of theprinting head, said frame including a second guideway at right angles tosaid first named guideway, said printing head slide, said actuatinglink, and said inking pad actuating slide lying in laminatedrelationship in said second guideway, a shaft traversing the lowerportion of the frameya crank disc 'for the actuating link and a cam forthe inking pad slide fixed on the shaft, said crank disc and camdisposed respectively in the same plane with the link and slide whichthey actuate, discs interposed between said crank disc and cam forspacing the same, and a pin traversing the crank disc, spacer discs andcam for looking them together, and means for rotating said shaft.

6. In a price marking machine, a frame including a guideway forreceiving a strip of tickets, a feeding unit including fingers engagingthe strip and reciprocably mounted in the guideway, an inking padmounted for Vertical movement relative to the feeding unit, a printinghead including type disposed over the guideway, means for reciprocatingsaid printing head, and actuating means adapted to engage under theinking pad when disposed beneath the printing head for engaging the padagainst the type in the printing head.

'7. In a price marking machine for receiving and successively markingthe tickets of a strip 'of tickets, comprising a frame including aguideway, a strip feeding unit reciprocably mounted in said guideway,said unit carrying an inking pad, a printing head mounted for verticalreciprocation in the frame above the guideway, said inking pad adaptedto be moved under said printing head, a vertically reciprocably mountedslide adapted to lift said inking pad against the type of the printinghead, and a drive shaft including actuating means for said slide andprinting head respectively.

8. In a price marking machine, aframe including a guideway for receivinga strip of tickets, means for advancing the strip in the guideway,

an inking, pad mounted for upward movement,

a printing head including type disposed over the guideway, means formoving said inking pad under said head, and means adapted to engageunder the inking pad when disposed beneath the printing head forengaging the pad against the type in the printing head.

9. A price marking machine of the type including a frame incorporating aguideway through which a strip of tickets is adapted to be fed, and

:means for intermittently feeding said strip of

